Composite metal.



L. B. TEBBBTTS 2D.

COMPOSITE METAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1911.

1 29 1 5 Patented June 11, 1912.

(Y TIN ANDANTIMONY LEAD ANDANTIMONY.

srns

LEWIS B. TEBBETTS, 2D, 0]? ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 HOYT METAL COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

COMPOSITE METAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 1, 1911. Serial No. 636,517.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS B. TEBBETTS, 2d, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented ceri into the manufacture of inexpensive toilet ware, such as brush backs, hand mirror frames, and the like, and into hollow ware, and it has for its object the production of a composite metal to be used in lieu of Britannia metal and which may be produced at a less expense than Britannia or similar metals. Metals of this kind have usually consisted of an alloy in which tin was present in a large percentage throughout the product, and manufacturers have, in View of the expensiveness of tin, endeavored to substitute lead forthe tin with the intention of cheapening the product. In such attempts they have tried to give necessary stifii'ness and hardness to the lead by the combination therewith of small, percentages of antimony. The efforts of such manufacturers have not, according to my knowledge, proven in any degree satisfactory, for the reason that when antimony has been used in such percentage as to afford the requisite hardness and stiffness in the composition metal, it has rendered the metal of such brittleness as to break and crack When subjected to pressure in dies, or spun to produce desirable configurations thereon ortherein in making the' metal into such shapes as are usually required or desired in manufacturing articles from it. By my improvement, I produce a composite metal that is of multiple ply structure and in'which there is a facing layer composed of elements of the description used inBritannia metal, and a backing layer that is composed in the main of lead with which is combined a hardening. or stiffening element, this backing layer by its incorporation with the facing layer serving to materially diminish the cost of the metal product.

The facing layer of my multiple ply 5 composite metal is composed of tin and antimony, to which may be added copper and nickel, these elments being used in the following proportions, to-wit: Tin, from 86% to 97%, antimony, from 3% to 14%, copper, from 0% to 5%, nickel, from 0% to 2%. While I in some instances include copper and nickel in the above composition, I desire it understood that these elements are not essential and may be dispensed with.

backing metal, only the lead and antimony are essential and the tin may, in some in stances, be dispensed with. a

It is to be particularly noted that in the facing layer of my composite metal, the main metal is tin and the other essential component of the alloy in such layer is antimony, necessary for the purpose of hardening the tin in order that the alloy may be of desired stifl'ness.

In the backing layer of my composite metal, the main element is lead with the other essential elementantimonyutilized in such layer to give rigidity and stiffness to the alloy. I prefer in some instances to utilize the element tinin the backing layer for the reason that this metal, when used, imparts toughness to the alloy in the backing layer and compensates in a large measure for the brittleness of the antimony present in such layer, thereby making it possible to work the metal more satisfactorily, especially in instances where the metal is drawn to any great degree in producing articles of manufacture therefrom.

It is to be particularly observed that the facing layer or ply of my composite metal contalns elements similar to those present in Britannia metal and that this facing layer or ply does not contain lead and antimony in combination; hence, the objectionable brittleness. herein mentioned as resulting from such a combination is not present in the facing layer-or ply. The desired cheapening of the metal is derived by including lead in the backinglayer or ply hardened or stifl'ened bythe combination of antimony therewith, and inasmuch as the backing is not intended to be ex- PatentedJune I1, 1912. g

The backinglayer of my composite metal comprising from eighty-six per cent. to ninety-seven per cent of tin, from three per cent. to fourteen per cent. of antimony, from naught to five per cent. of copper,

from naught to two per cent. of nickel, and 20 a backing layer comprising from seventy per cent. to ninety-six per cent. of lead, from four per cent. tofifteen per cent. of antimony, and from naught to fifteen per cent. of tin.

LEWrs B. TEBBETTS, 2D. In the presence of I A. J. MOOAULEY, E. B. LINN. 

